OTA recognized by EPA

TORONTO — The Ontario Trucking Association’s campaign to “green” the trucking industry has gotten it noticed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The EPA recently awarded the OTA with a 2007 silver level of recognition for affiliate members of the agency’s Smartway Transport Partnership, which recognizes efforts to promote lower emissions and greater fuel efficiency in trucking.

“OTA will continue to work with the EPA in promoting the benefits and goals of the Smartway program — EPA’s approach to the introduction of cleaner technology and use of more fuel efficient configurations should be applauded,” said OTA President David Bradley.

“At no other time in our industry’s history has our carriers’ economic goals been so aligned with environmental goals,” said Bradley. “OTA members are doing their part by investing in cleaner engines and fuels and by supporting such policies as the mandatory activation of speed limiters, and the removal of barriers to the increased use of trailer-base aerodynamic fairings, APU’s and low rolling resistance tires.”

Bradley credits, OTA Vice President Stephen Laskowski for doing most of the legwork on the association’s environmental initiatives and for getting OTA involved with Smartway.

Two weeks ago, CTA rolled several “enviroTrucks” up to Parliament Hill in Ottawa. The event was an attempt to inform citizens and get federal politicians to support incentives that would accelerate the penetration of environmentally friendly, smog-free vehicles into the Canadian truck fleet.